title: In silico identification of a candidate synthetic peptide (Tsgf118-43) to monitor human exposure to tsetse flies in West Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The analysis of humoral responses directed against the saliva of blood-sucking arthropods was shown to provide epidemiological biomarkers of human exposure to vector-borne diseases. However, the use of whole saliva as antigen presents several limitations such as problems of mass production, reproducibility and specificity. The aim of this study was to design a specific biomarker of exposure to tsetse flies based on the in silico analysis of three Glossina salivary proteins (Ada, Ag5 and Tsgf1) previously shown to be specifically recognized by plasma from exposed individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Synthetic peptides were designed by combining several linear epitope prediction methods and Blast analysis. The most specific peptides were then tested by indirect ELISA on a bank of 160 plasma samples from tsetse infested areas and tsetse free areas. Anti-Tsgf118-43 specific IgG levels were low in all three control populations (from rural Africa, urban Africa and Europe) and were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in the two populations exposed to tsetse flies (Guinean HAT foci, and South West Burkina Faso). A positive correlation was also found between Anti-Tsgf118-43 IgG levels and the risk of being infected by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in the sleeping sickness foci of Guinea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Tsgf118-43 peptide is a suitable and promising candidate to develop a standardize immunoassay allowing large scale monitoring of human exposure to tsetse flies in West Africa. This could provide a new surveillance indicator for tsetse control interventions by HAT control programs.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l'Elevage en zone Subhumide (CIRDES), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dama
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cornelie
authors.forename: Mamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.forename: Martin Bienvenu
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Somda
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poinsignon
authors.forename: Hamidou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ilboudo
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elanga Ndille
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jamonneau
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solano
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Remoue
authors.forename: Zakaria
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bengaly
authors.forename: Adrien Marie Gaston
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Belem
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bucheton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D014370:Tsetse Flies / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides